Lock cover for cans



June 3, 1930. P. s. SHIELD LOCK COVER FOR CANS 2 sheets-sheet 1 FiledAug. 5, 1927 NEY `)une 3, 1930. P. s. SHIELD LOCK COVER Foa cANs 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 5, 1927 Patented June 3, 193() UNITED STATES ylaaste PATENT @FFQ PAUL S. SHIELD, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TAUGUSTINE DAVIS, JR., OF CINCINNATI, OHIO LOCK COVER FOR OANSApplication filed August 5, 19.537. Serial No. 210,737.

The invention is an improved lock cover for vessels, such as oil or milkcans. Patent 1,370,007 of March 31, 1921, to Augustine Davis, Jr.,discloses a can having a mouth with a beaded rim, and a lock cover whichcan be applied to the vessel in any position and without turning ortwisting, the cover having locking pieces which are turnable and alsomovable inwardly and outwardly in the cover to operate under theoverhanging.

rim. Such a cover makes possible the use of a can neck of uniformexternal contour, without any lugs or other devices on the vessel savethe beaded upper edge of the neck itself, for cooperation with thelocking means. more conveniently operable and generally moresatisfactory can is obtained.

rihe present invention is an improvement on and within the broad aspectof the said prior invention. In the particular construcf tion shown inthe said Davis patent, two separate and separately operated levers wererequired for the locking pieces at diainetrically opposite points on thecover. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide aconstruction having a single handle common to both locking' pieces, soVaste set both pieces into locking position by a single move- 3o ment inone direction, and to release both pieces from the overhanging rim by asingle movement in the opposite direction. For this purpose a slidableconnection is arranged between the locking pieces Vand opposite ends ofthe operating lever or handle. Further'- niore, cam means are providedof such character as to automatically and positively move the lockingpieces outwardly as well as in` wardly, when the lever is moved in onedi.

4D rection or the other. This also di'ers from the construction of theDavis patent, wherein cani means reacting between the cover and therocking pieces forced the locking pieces inward on turning in onedirection, and permitted them to be pulled out by hand when turned in'the other direction, but did not automatically move them out by and'withsuoh turning movement.

The invention exhibits a simple, effective,

compa'ctvand economical construction and or-V In this way a simple, moresanitary,

ganization, which can be best described hereinafter. c

In the accompanying drawings forming part hereof:

Fig. 1 isa plan view of the cover on a neck of can, the parts beingshown in the locked position, and portions being broken away and insection, a sleeve and a bushing at the left of Vthe view being insection, while at the right the same parts are in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vie'w similarto Fig. 2, showing e u ocked condition;

Fig. i is a side elevation, showing the common lever in the unlockingposition in full lines, and in the locking position in broken lines;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top view in horizontal section withportions in elevation;

6 is a cross-section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are detail perspective views.

The neck 2 of the vessel has a curled over upper edge or bead 3containing` a'wire i for strength. Such a bead constitutes an overhangextending circumferentially around the neck reinforcing the same andforming a simple and sanitary means for cooperation with the lockingmeans of the cover 5.

The cover has a depending skirt 6 which iasses downward around the bead3, and a groove 4 under its top holding a packing gasket 8 which iscompressed against the top of tl e neck. As in the Davis patentaforesaid. the cover can be applied to the neck at any point, andwithout the necessity for turnor twisting.

rihe skirt 6 is pierced at diametrically opposite points with openings 9of substantial siZe, and projecting outwardly from around these openingsare thimbles or housings 10, having base flanges 11 which are welded orotherwise united to the skirt. Fixed in these thimbles are collars orbushings 12, preferably inserted with a drive fit, and'turnable in saidbushings are sleeves 13. inside these sleeves are plunger stems 14 oflocking pieces, which may be designated by the same referenceVcharacter, these locking pieces having cam heads or eccentrics 15 tocoact with the under side of the bead 3. The plungers are movableendwise in the sleeves.

The outer ends of the sleeves 13 are pinned to the opposite ends of agenerally semicircular lever handle 16, which in the locked positionextends around one halt the circumference of the skirt 6 below the topofthe cover, as shown in F ig. 1 and in broken lines in Fig.

The inner portion of the sleeves 13, which, functionally.I may beregarded as parts or trunnions ot the operating lever, arelongitudinally slotted at 17, each sleeve being preferably slotted inboth sides. The bushings 12 have spiral, inclined or diagonal slots 18,constituting a species of cam, and these slots terminate in transverseportions 19 extending in planes approximately perpendicular to the axisof the plungers 14. 'Ihese slots are preferably formed in both sides ofeach bushing, extending in the same circumferential direction in eachbushing, but the slots in one bushing being reversed with respect to theslots in the other bushing.

Each plunger 14 has a transverse pin 20, the ends oit which torniprojections coopera ing with the slots 17 and 18, 19. rIhe slots 1T withthe projections of the pins 20 form sliding connections between thelocking pieces 1li and the lever 16, whereby the locking pieces areturned by the lever and are tree to move in and out, or endwise,relatively thereto. The slots 1S may be regarded as cam means forforcing the locking pieces endwise when they are turned, and it will beseen that these slotted cams are double acting7 inasmuch as theypositively displace the locking members endwise in both directions, notonly inward but outward as well, as the result ot turning the leverhandle in one direction or the other.

lli/when the lever is in the approximately vertical position shown inFig. 4 the cover is unlocked, the locking cams or heads 15 being thenapproximately horizontal, that is'to say turned down away from theoverhang 3, and being also drawn outward so as to clear said overhang`when the cover is lifted off the vessel. In order to lock the cover, thelever is swung down to the approximately horizontal position. rlhiscauses the sleeves 13 to turn the locking pieces let through the slots17 andthe projections of the pin 20; at the same time the stationary camslots 18 force the locking pieces inward beneath the overhang. Vi'henthe projections reach the transverse portions 19 of the slots 18, thelocking ca is 15 are beneath the overhang, and further turning movementforces these cams cr heads upward against the bottom of the bead oroverhang, drawing the cover downward and squeezing the packing betweenthe cover and the top of the necln The ends 21 oi" the transverseportions 19 of the slots 18 incassa are so arranged as to form stopslimiting the locking turning movement to a position in which the lockingcam-s or eccentrica 15 are carried slightly past dead center, J(herebycausingthem to remain locked in the locking position under the tensionin the parts and particularly the elastic action of the gasket 8.

W hen the lever is turned in the unlocking direction, the locking cams15 are first turned back and down out of thrust engagementl with thebead, and then, when the ends of the pin Q0 encounter the inclinedportions 18 of the cam slots, the locking pieces are withdrawn outwardlywithin the openings 9 and the inner portions ot the thimbles 10, wherethey will not catch on the bead when the cover is lifted.

The preferred and practical embodiment or the invention has beendescribed in detail, but it will be understood that the form, detailsand arrangements may be varied without departing from essentials;

I claim:

1. In a cover for a vessel having a circumferential overhang, a lockingpiece turnable and also movable endwise inwardly and outwardly in saidcover to operate under said overhang at any point, and a lever, with asliding connection between said lever and locking piece whereby thelocking piece is turned by the lever but moves inwardly and outwardlyrelatively to the lever, and cam means on the cover cooperative with thelocking piece to produce the endwise movement thereof.

2. In a cover for a vessel having a circumferential overhang, twolocking pieces turnable and also movable endwise inwardly and outwardlyin said cover to operate under said overhang at any point, and operatinglever common to both said locking pieces, with sliding connectionsbetween the ends of said lever and said locking pieces whereby thelocking pieces are turned by the lever but move inwardly and outwardlyrelatively to the lever, and cam means cooperative with said lockingpieces to produce the endwise movement thereof.

3. In a cover for a vessel having a circumferential overhang, a lockingpiece comprising a plunger with a cam head turnable and also-movableendwise inwardly and outwardly in said cover to operate under saidoverhang at any point, a lever, a sleeve united with said leversurrounding and having sliding connection with saidv plunger, and cammeans for producing the endwise movement of the plunger.

4. In a cover for a vessel having a circumferential overhang, a lockingpiece comprising a plunger with a cam head turnable and also movableinwardly and outwardly in said cover to operate under said overhang atany point, a lever, a slotted sleeve united with said lever andsurrounding said plunger, with a projection on said plunger` cooperatingwith the slot in the sleeve, and a cam-slotted part on the cover alsocooperating with said projection.

5. In a cover for a vessel having a circuinu ferential overhang, alocking piece compris.- ing a plunger with a cam head turnable and alsomovable inwardly and outwardly in said cover to operate under saidoverhang at any point, a lever, a slotted part united with said lever, aslotted part fixed in the cover, and a projection on said plungercooperative with both slotted parts.

6. A. cover for a vessel having a circum- Jferential overhang, saidcover having a pierced skirt, thimbles projecting from the piercedregions of said skirt, cam-slotted pieces fixed in said thimbles,slotted sleeves turnable in said housings, looking pieces havingplungers turnable and movable endwise in said sleeves, with projectionson the plungers operating in the slots, and a common lever having itsends fixed to said sleeves.

7. In a cover :tor a vessel having a circumferential overhang, a lockingpiece turnable and also movable inwardly and outward ly in said cover tooperate under said overhang at any point, and means between said lockingpiece and cover for automatically and positively camming said lockingpiece outwardly as well as inwardly when the locln ing` piece is turnedin its opposite directions.

8. In a cover for a vessel having a circumferential overhang, aplurality of locking pieces turnable and also movable inwardly andoutwardly in said cover to operate under said overhang at any point,means between the cover and said locking pieces for producing theendwise movements thereoi:l automatically in both directions, and acommon operating lever with connections at its ends with said lockingpieces whereby said locking pieces are turned by the lever and moverelatively thereto in lthe endwise directions.

9. In a cover for a vessel having a circum'iferent-ial overhang, alocking piece turnable and also movable endwise inwardly and outwardlyin said cover to operate under said overhang, an operating lever, andcam means reacting between the cover and the locking piece or" suchcharacter as to produce positively and automatically the endwisemovement of the locking piece when turned in both directions by saidlever.

l0. In a cover for a vessel having a circumferential overhang, a lockingpiece turnable and also movable endwise inwardly and outwardly in saidcover to operate under said overhang, an operating lever, andcam-slotted means between said cover and said locking piece forproducing the endwise movement ot the latter in both directions.

11. In a cover for a vessel having a circumferential overhang, alockingpiece turnable and also movable endwise inwardly and ,outwardlyin said cover to operate under said overhang, an operating lever, andpin and slot means between said cover and said locking piece forproducing the endwise movement of the latter in both directions, saidmeans comprising a spiral cam element with a transverse portion at theinner end thereof.

l2. In a cover for a vessel having a circumferential overhang, alockingl piece turnable and also movable endwise inwardly and outwardlyin said cover to operate under said overhang, an operating lever, andpin and slot means between said cover and said locking piece forproducing the endwise movement of the latter in both directions, saidmoans comprising a spiral cam element with a transverse portion at theinner end thereof, a stop at the end of said transverse portion limitingthe turning movement of the locking piece at a position slightly pastdead center.

13. In a cover for a vessel having a circumferential overhang, lockingpieces turnable and also movable endwise inwardly andv outwardly on thecover to operate under said overhang at any point, a common operatinglever. and means comprising hollow slctter. members in the cover aroundthe stems of said locking pieces for determining the movement thereof. l

14. In a cover for a vessel having a circunaferential overhang, twolocking pieces turnable and also movable inwardly and outwardly in saidcover to cooperate with said overhang, a common operating lever forturning both of said locking pieces, said locking pieces being movableinwardly and outwardly relatively to said lever, and cam meanscooperative with said locking pieces positively and automatically toproduce outward as well as inward movement thereof as the result ofturning the common operating lever in one direction or the other.

PAUL S. SHIELD.

